This section is taken from the Dinosaur Field Guide.
Giganotosaurus ("giant southern lizard") is currently one of the largest known meat-eating dinosaur ever. For many years Tyrannosaurus held that record (although bits and pieces of Carcharodontosaurus and Spinosaurus showed that they were as large as any individual T. rex). Then, in 1995, paleontologists Rodolfo Coria and Leonardo Salgado reported the discovery of a new meat-eater bigger than any tyrant lizard. They named the giant dinosaur, Giganotosaurus carolini.
Bone for bone, it was larger than the largest skeleton of T. rex ever found! The skull alone was 5 feet (1.5 m) long! What's more, a lower jaw bone was later found from an individual even bigger than the first one - with a skull perhaps 1.5 meters (5 feet) long. Clearly, Giganotosaurus was a gigantic dinosaur.
When Giganotosaurus was alive, the most common plant-eaters in South America were the titanosaur sauropods. While a single Giganotosaurus could kill a young titanosaur, it would take many Giganotosaurus to bring down a giant adult. Originally, there was no evidence that Giganotosaurus hunted in groups, but a recent discovery from slightly younger rocks shows that they indeed may have lived in packs of 6-12 or more individuals.
Wikipedia has a more detailed and comprehensive article on Giganotosaurus |
Story
Genetic material of Gigantosaurus was in possession of InGen by the year 2014 and was used in the creation of the genetic hybrid Indominus rex.
Trivia
- An artistic render of Gigantosaurus is seen on a wall of one of the stores inside Jurassic World's Main Street.
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Giganotosaurus was featured on the raptor's gallery on the PSX/Saturn game The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Apparently it was cut from the game in favor for Tyrannosaurus rex and the Allosaurus.
Warpath: Jurassic Park
The Giganotosaurus appeared in the game Warpath: Jurassic Park. It was misspelled as Giganotasaurus, and is codenamed as Giga. It has 3 colors: blue, brown, and white red. The Giganotosaurus shares a similar battle style with Carcharodontosaurus and Albertosaurus, and its battle stage is the paddock.
Jurassic Park III: Park Builder
Giganotosaurus is one of the Carnivores Threes that can be created in Jurassic Park III: Park Builder.
Jurassic Park: Builder
see Gigantosaurus/Builder
Gigantosaurus can be created in Jurassic Park: Builder. Its DNA sample is rare and can only be acquired by playing Tournament Mode.
Jurassic World: The Game
Gigantosaurus can be created in Jurassic World: The Game.
Jurassic Park: Redemption
Giganotosaurus was on the covers of Jurassic Park: Redemption IV and V. In the cover for Jurassic Park: Redemption IV it was towering over a human female while in the cover for Jurassic Park: Redemption V it was being attacked by a mosasaur and a Velociraptor pack.
It was one of the dinosaurs recreated by Dr. Henry Wu under the orders of Peter Ludlow a.k.a L. Would and was among the dinosaurs that were released by Lewis Dodgson. A Giganotosaurus travels to a nuclear power plant believing its alarm to be Giganotosaur's mate. Tim Murphy tries to distract the giant theropod with a truck, but it tips his vehicle over. However, a pack of Velociraptors soon attack the Giganotosaurus afterward where it is lead into the water and is killed by a mosasaur. <gallery> JurassicPark04.jpg
Jurassicpark05.jpgBehind the scenes
Gigantosaurus was once rumored to be the dinosaur antagonist of Jurassic World, then called by its preliminary name "Jurassic Park IV", before Indominus rex was was revealed to be the antagonist. However, it did appear in the film in a sense as its genetic material was used in Indominus rex's creation.
Sources
Playable Warpath Dinosaurs |
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Acrocanthosaurus • Albertosaurus • Ankylosaurus • Carcharodontosaurus • Cryolophosaurus • Giganotosaurus • Megaraptor • Pachycephalosaurus • Spinosaurus • Stygimoloch • Styracosaurus • Suchomimus • Triceratops • Tyrannosaurus rex |